Lord Banner- Nesbitt (ME) 1922 Barry D a
[From Barry Eckstorm, Smythe; British Ballads from Maine, 1929. Extensive notes which I assume are mainly from Barry may be found US and Canada versions page. Cf. Barry D b.
R. Matteson 2015]
LITTLE MUSGRAVE AND LADY BARNARD
(Child 81)
D a. "Lord Banner" Taken down, October, 1922, from the recitation of Mr. J. P. A. Nesbitt of St. Stephen, New Brunswick, who learned it from the singing of other men.
1 Four and twenty fair maids
Assembled at the ball,
Lady Banner was the fairest one,
The fairest of them all;
2. [She] cast her eyes on little Mat Groves,
On little Mat Groves went she,
Saying, "What would you give, my sweet little Groves,
To sleep one night with me?"
3. "To sleep one night I dare not do,
Not for ail my life;
For I think by the rings on your fingers
You are Lord Banner's wife."
4. "What if I am Lord Banner's wife?
The lord is not to home,
He has gone to fair England
Where the King sits on his throne.[1]
5. Up speaks a little foot-page,
And an angry man was he,
Saying, "I can neither rest nor sleep
Till my master I do see."
6. He rode till he came to Lord Banner's hall
And tapp-ed at the ring
There was none so ready as Lord Banner himself
To rise and let him in.
7 "O, is there any of the buildings fell,
Or any of my towers three?
Or is there anything happen-ed
Unto my gay ladie?"
8. "O, no, there's none of your buildings fell,
Or none of your towers three,
But little Mat Groves of fair Scotland
Is in bed with your gay ladie."
9. "If this be a lie," Lord Banner says,
"That you do tell to me,
Tomorrow I shall rig a gallows
And hang-ed you shall be."
10. "If this bees a lie," the little foot-page says,
"That I do tell to thee,
You need not rig a gallows,
But hang me on a tree."
11. Then he called his merry men all,
By one, by two, by three,
Saying,"Let us go to fair Scotland
Those fashions for to see."
12. They hadn't been more than an hour in bed,
Nor yet fell fast asleep,
When up steps Lord Banner himself
And stood by their bed feet.
13. "O, how do you like my blankets, sir,
Or how do you like my sheets?
Or how do you like my false ladie
That lies in your arms asleep?"
14. "Much I like your blankets, sir,
Much better I like your sheets,
Much better I like your fair ladie
That lies in my arms asleep."
15. "Rise up, rise up and dress yourself,
As quickly as you can;
It will never be said in fair Scotland
That I killed a naked man."
16. "Rise up, rise up, I dare not do,
Not for all my life'
For by your side hangs two broadswords
And I not a single knife."
17. "If by my side hangs two broadswords
They cost me deep in purse,
And you may have the better one
And I will take the worst.
18. "And you may strike the very first blow,
And strike it like a man,
And I will strike the second one
And kill you if I can."
19. Little Matthew Groves struck the very first blow
And wounded Lord Banner sore;
Lord Banner struck the second one
And laid him in his gore.
20. He took this fair lady by the hand
And gave her kisses three,
Saying, "Which of us do you love the best,
Little Matthew Groves or me?"
21. "O, much I love his ruby lips,
Likewise his dimpled chin,
Much better I loved his little finger
Than you and all your kin."
22. He took Lady Banner by the hand,
He threw her on the floor,
And with his sword dashed out her brains,
Lady Banner was no more.
23. He put the handle of the sword to the floor
And the point of it to his breast,
Saying, "There never was three lovers
So quickly sent to rest."
------
1 In 1927, these lines were recited:
"He has gone to fair Scotland,
To make an arn or a throne."
When in 1929, we wished to verify them, the two lines were given as printed above. Compare, however, D b, 4, line 4, evidently learned from the same source, and A a, 4, line 4.